Kitchen Chaos: It’s spring finally!

Friday

Apr 25, 2008 at 12:01 AMApr 25, 2008 at 2:45 AM

The gorgeous weather arrived just in time. The past couple of weeks have been a reminder of what exactly spring holds for my family. Like many of you, it's hours upon hours spent at the baseball field.

Kristen Elliott

The gorgeous weather arrived just in time. The past couple of weeks have been a reminder of what exactly spring holds for my family. Like many of you, it's hours upon hours spent at the baseball field.

I am not complaining; baseball is a great way to get the kids outdoors and get me out to see people I haven’t seen since last spring. It does, however, create a scheduling problem with feeding the family.

Joe coaches Alec’s team and assistant coaches Kyle’s team. It is confusing enough trying to just figure out who is supposed to be where when and who is taking them, never mind trying to add a balanced meal into the equation.

I know I am not alone; I have heard other parents lament as well. My answer is this: Don’t worry. The kids are happy eating mac and cheese anyway, and if you are lucky enough to have vegetable eaters, raw carrots are a perfect accompaniment.

Cereal or other breakfast food, like scrambled eggs and toast, are a quick dinner on the nights you just don’t have time for anything else. If all else fails, the snack shack at the field has hot dogs and snacks. Just relax, sit in the bleachers and enjoy watching your healthy children steal bases and catch fly balls. Worry about the balanced meals on the nights they don’t have games or practice.

Along with baseball season, spring reminds us of what is right around the corner – shorts and bathing suit weather.

For some of us, this time of year has a similar feeling as the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas – not enough time to get ready. You think there is plenty of time to start eating right and really get into shape and then, boom, it is here and you haven’t done anything.

I am feeling extra pressure this year since I have stopped my usual workouts with weights because of a shoulder injury. I have been trying to get to the gym and at least do cardio, but I feel the difference.

I must face the facts: I have to cut back on eating if I want to be seen at the pool this summer.

I have stocked the fridge with low fat yogurt and fruit and made a batch of healthy granola. Alec and I have been making yogurt parfaits, layering vanilla yogurt with bananas, strawberries and granola. Alec has been eating this for breakfast, and I have it for lunch.

I am not much of a breakfast person. I am happy with my coffee, but since it is supposed to be healthier, I have been trying to eat breakfast. I have been eating a high fiber cereal that is full of flax seeds and almonds. It actually tastes pretty good, but if you eat something with 12 grams of fiber, be prepared for the consequences.

All I can say is it better be good for my health, because if I find out in a couple of years that the experts were wrong about fiber being good for you, I will not be happy to have gone through this for nothing.

Mix together all ingredients except for fruit. Spread on a baking sheet with sides and bake at 225 degrees stirring every 15 minutes for about 45 minutes until slightly browned. Remove from oven and mix in fruit and let cool on baking sheet. Store in an airtight container.

Kristen Elliott resides in Carver, Mass., with her husband Joe and two sons Alec and Kyle. She works part time as a barista at Seattle’s Best in the Independence Mall and substitute teaches in Carver. Feel free to send questions, comments or topic ideas to Kristen at kriselliott37@yahoo.com.

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